Supporting her baby against the current, a mother hippo helps her calf keep its footing on a log. Though adult hippos can stay submerged for several minutes at a time, babies can stay under for only about two minutes, and this infant rose to breathe about every 30 seconds. Such frequent breathing would be exhausting if the calf had to constantly surface from deep water. So this one stands on a log to conserve its energy. Mother hippos are extremely attentive, and offspring may stay near their mothers for several years after birth.